Joseph Cawley, who began organizing musical and other events in the 300-seat theater in 2010, announced the campaign in an email sent to previous ticket buyers and other supporters. The online address is www.gofundme.com/preservetherose.

“The Rose very suddenly has the opportunity to purchase the building to ensure a home for the arts FOREVER!” the email read. Cawley said financing is being arranged through the Premier Community Bank. Multnomah County lists the property owners as Robbin and Debra Mayfield.

The building opened as the Alameda Theatre for movies in 1927. The name eventually became the Alberta Theatre, where young viewers saw Saturday matinees of cowboy and comedy films while Hollywood shows were featured in the evenings.

The movie theater continued until 1978 when a church began holding services in the building. The congregation had moved by the time Cawley started organizing arts programming seven years ago.